Government Grants Washington State Governor's Request For Help Battling Wildfires, Christian Ministries Plan Responses
Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson declared a State of Emergency about two weeks ago in response to wildfires ravaging the state. He has also requested assistance from the federal government, which has been approved.
Ferguson’s move will allow “our federal partners to mobilize their resources and personnel to support our response, and unlock resources for state, local and tribal governments,” a news release from his office stated.
“I appreciate the federal government moving quickly and granting our request for this emergency declaration. We are laser-focused on getting assistance to those Washingtonians who have lost so much,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson also issued a Public Health Emergency for Chelan, Ferry, Okanogan, Spokane, Stevens and Yakima counties, as well as the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Spokane Tribes of Indians. These are the same areas under a State of Emergency.
Suspected Arsonist Arrested, Confesses to Starting Several Wildfires
Aaron F. Farinacci has been arrested for starting the Old Trails Fire in Spokane, and in an interview with detectives, admitted to starting several other wildfires. He also told detectives that “fire is powerful, beautiful, and things that go through fire experience a kind of rebirth,” according to OPB.
In addition, Farinacci admitted that he had started planning the Old Trails fire two weeks prior to setting it, and used a weather app to help determine a day with high fire danger. He also admitted to researching how to build devices with a time-delay feature so he’d have time to escape the area.
Over 2,000 Firefighters Battle Upwards of 10,000 Burning Acres
Over 2,000 firefighters are battling more than 10,000 acres while working 16-hour shifts. In many cases, the firefighters have been working for 14 consecutive days, according to NBC.
Incident commander Tom Clemo said a 1,000-tent base camp is providing shelter for personnel from across the country battling the blazes.
“We evacuated over 60 thousand people in two hours without injury. That is a testament to personal preparedness [and] to heeding the messages,” Clemo told NBC.
Flame-fueling winds reached their peak on Sunday as the fast-moving flames continued to devour neighborhoods.
Christian Ministries on Standby for Relief Efforts
Samaritan’s Purse has assessment crews “working alongside emergency management and local government officials to identify the extent of the damage and coordinate a response to these fires. Four Disaster Response Vehicles [and] box trucks with relief supplies and equipment are on their way to the area now,” according to the website.
Volunteer response teams are on standby to provide relief as soon as Thursday, unless authorities determine that they need to wait until it’s safer to enter.
A complete response strategy probably won’t be developed until all the fires are extinguished, according to Baptist Press. However, many churches in the area are working together. For example, Valley Point Church in Spokane is making hygiene kits available, The Rock Church is assisting with the gathering and delivery of groceries, and Grace Christian Fellowship has opened its doors to house 30 displaced adults from a memory care center.
Though this activity is occurring in an area that is considered one of the least religious areas of the country, Northwest Baptist Convention Evangelism Specialist Zach Milton told Baptist Press that, “Spokane is a very family-oriented community, but less than 6 percent attend an evangelical church. This is a very giving and caring community, and a lot of people are donating goods.”
He also noted that a great opportunity is brewing, as he believes spiritual questions will arise during relief efforts.
Photo Credit: ©Margaret Albaugh/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Originally published August 10, 2026.
